JD Vance paid a surprise visit to his hometown NFL team, and their underwhelmed response was truly humiliating and hilariously relatable

Oonagh Keating. Updated October 22nd, 2026

On Wednesday, Ohio born and bred JD Vance paid a surprise visit to the NFL team he’s always supported, the Cincinnati Bengals. The VP may have been expecting the team to fall over themselves at the honour, but the reality was very different.

Watch what happened.

This is so fucking humiliating.

JD Vance tried to greet Bengals players on the way out.

It didn’t go well. https://t.co/1Ml62LetOO

— CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) October 22, 2026

We’re not sure whether tight end Drew Sample was taking one for the team, or he’s Maga, but the rest certainly seemed appropriately underwhelmed, and the internet enjoyed Vance’s public humiliation.

No one actually likes JD Vance.

No one.

— Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) October 22, 2026

People like VPs who are authentic and nonperformative. FAFO!! https://t.co/QvlSXITxeT

— Evaristus Odinikaeze (@odinikaeze) October 22, 2026

Incredible how out of touch these MAGA whackos are. He thought they would be happy to see him?😳🫣🤷🤔

— ColaCity (@ColaCity1) October 22, 2026

I thought Republicans wanted to keep politics out of football?

— Caitlin Montgomery Gibson (@caitjennn) October 22, 2026

Of course it didn't go well!!! That doof can't even order donuts like a human! 😂

— Troy Proctor 🇺🇸💙 (@TroyProctor666) October 22, 2026

Trump gets booed, the Bengals get the memo, and now Vance is left trying to collect handshakes like a rejected door-to-door salesman.

Turns out, you can demand loyalty from an entire party, but you can't bully people into liking you.

THAT'S GOTTA STING. https://t.co/Cfr8h8zbjc

— Chetter (@ChetterHub) October 22, 2026

THEY DONT GIVE A FUCK LMFAOOOOOOOO😭😭😭😭 https://t.co/7YJne087qu

— YoshiSZN (@YoshiSZNs) October 21, 2026

Humiliating https://t.co/I1UhJIGjvg

— Krystal Ball (@krystalball) October 21, 2026

Happy to see most of them just ignore him. They know they have a job to do…and that means beating the Ravens.

Unlike VP who hasn't done shit in his role besides make day to day life harder for a majority of Americans. Now GTFO. https://t.co/RnZyxmew2R

— Lorenzo Sorice (@lorenzosorice) October 21, 2026

10.

lmao at Vance slowly realizing none of them know who he is https://t.co/uQW0tvptQU

— Ohio Politics News (@OhioCrawler) October 21, 2026

11.

Yikes. Most of them completely ignored him. https://t.co/HOo8vLPfho

— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) October 21, 2026

12.

This is what TOTAL HUMILIATION looks like: JD Vance attempted to greet Cincinnati Bengals players in the locker room and got snubbed and ghosted by every single player except one. pic.twitter.com/o2TvmTTOUf

— Bill Madden (@maddenifico) October 22, 2026

13.

I wouldn’t want to shake his hand either. Especially after he defended that disgusting ad targeting Amy Acton in Ohio’s governor’s race. https://t.co/ZWLzoqD5gV

— Amy McGrath (@AmyMcGrathKY) October 22, 2026

14.

Vance and Trump are pariahs …and rightfully so https://t.co/RTCHI9MAZG

— Tara Setmayer 🌻 🇺🇸 (@TaraSetmayer) October 22, 2026

15.

Man has pure Ted Cruz energy.

— Bosey (@Bosey1982) October 22, 2026

It reminded people of this excruciating exchange.

Reminds me of when Vance tried to make small talk in a bakery. Humiliating. pic.twitter.com/qS90RN4Ktk

— MikeBates (@MikeBates) October 22, 2026

Is it possible to be in a charisma deficit? Asking for not a friend.

Anyway, here’s Barack Obama with some NFL players.

When players meet Obamapic.twitter.com/iQyHzvsN8P https://t.co/QhdNSKy1Gc

— Alex Cole (@acnewsitics) October 21, 2026

Source Charlie Clifford Image Screengrab